Packaging Engineer

Overview

BUILT ON FLAVOR. FUELED BY PEOPLE. What’s it like to work at Kinder’s? There’s a lot of snacking and geeking out over what we cooked over the weekend, along with hard work. We’re not just about flavor—we’re obsessed with it. With over 100 products sold nationwide, we’re a top-five brand in multiple flavor categories at Costco, Walmart, Whole Foods, and more.

We’re privately held and founder-led, a pirate ship in a sea of cruise ships, with a crew that is adventurous and fearless. As we expand globally and approach $1 billion in revenue, we need smart-and-scrappy, flavor-obsessed people to come aboard. If you’re looking for a place where you can see the real impact of your work, this is it. Every day, you’ll be part of a journey to add flavor to millions of meals and lives.

How You ll Have An Impact At Kinder’s The Packaging Engineer provides technical/engineering support for all packaging development activities for sauces, seasoning/rub, innovation projects, and pallet displays from exploratory concept design through commercialization.

• Lead the design, development, and qualification of primary, secondary, and tertiary packaging for new and existing products.
• Gather secondary and display design parameters from internal team/customer specification and communicate to 3rd party corrugate suppliers for design work.
• Develop, present and optimize structural primary, secondary and merchandising packaging designs with our Brand team.
• Work closely with packaging suppliers to meet Kinder’s and our manufacturing partners criteria for success.
• Conduct structural integrity packaging studies to ensure package and pallet integrity while optimizing economics.
• Communicate case coding requirements to copackers per customer specification, review and sign off on copacker case coding first articles/samples.
• Evaluate and approve alternate packaging suppliers for cost savings, supply chain redundancy and enhanced consumer experience.
• Develop specifications for internal and external partners and develop associated documentation.
• Develop and maintain master data related to primary and secondary packaging.
• Provide packaging data for Kinder s finished goods specifications and EPR reporting.
• Review and approve finished goods specifications.
• Review artwork proofs for die-line accuracy.
• Collaborate with Product Development team to evaluate new primary packaging product, package interaction and associated shelf-life.
• Execute packaging improvement projects.
• Work with packaging suppliers and contract manufacturing partners to improve machinability, decrease labor, reduce cost and maximize throughput.
• Independently lead packaging trials and qualifications at manufacturing facilities.

• BS Degree in Packaging Engineering or related field
• 3-5 years of food packaging or related field
• Strong problem-solving skills related to packaging structural design and machinability
• Demonstrated attention to detail
• Strong knowledge of food packaging design and machinability fundamentals
• Excellent time management skills, sense of urgency, and desire to complete all assignments on a timely basis.
• Must be able to travel up to 30% of time

• Structural package testing experience
• Knowledge of Packaging Dynamic, barrier properties and manufacturing
• Understand key food packaging quality attributes and inspection methodologies
• Experience creating effective packaging design solutions
• Strong understanding of range of packaging substrates (flexible packaging, corrugate, paperboard, bottles, labels, etc.)

• Thrive in a dynamic, lean, and agile environment.
• Comfortable in both the food plant and headquarters environment
• Self-starter who takes initiative and speaks their mind.
• Collaborative, technical packaging resource
• Excited to be part of a fast-moving team with the ability to be a leader and a follower

The expected starting salary range for this role is $115,000- $145,000 per year. We may ultimately pay more or less than the posted range based on the location of the role. The amount a particular employee will earn within the salary range will be based on factors such as relevant education,…